Search found 300 matches

by blekenbleu
Thu Mar 28, 2024 2:06 pm
Forum: Home-made microscope adaptations
Topic: Looking for a NICE dust cover
Replies: 20
Views: 4795

Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover

Filtrete 20x30x1 packages of 4 come wrapped in clear film
which if carefully opened at one end can be repurposed:
cover.jpg
cover.jpg (68.53 KiB) Viewed 45 times
by blekenbleu
Wed Feb 21, 2024 5:42 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: What brand objectives to add to a Chinese scope?
Replies: 4
Views: 542

Re: What brand objectives to add to a Chinese scope?

My limited experience has finite Asian "DIN" objectives with rubber grips being Olympus compatible and others Nikon.
by blekenbleu
Wed Feb 21, 2024 5:01 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: How to test a new to you microscope objective
Replies: 3
Views: 533

Re: How to test a new to you microscope objective

Before installing in a microscope, I hold new objectives near a computer monitor, with the bottom closest to the screen. With minor fiddling, one should see crisp RGB subpixels from white display areas. This quickly sorts optics needing attention, e.g. dried oil removal. First target on microscope w...
by blekenbleu
Sat Jan 13, 2024 11:20 pm
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: Dangerous-Just Thinking Again!
Replies: 14
Views: 4877

Re: Dangerous-Just Thinking Again!

The system I was thinking about (dangerous!) was using LEDs (4-R ,G, B, Y) pulsed simultaneously, with brightness control for each led. That would allow mixing colors to get the different combinations and effects. If you make separate images from each primary, you will discover that peak foci diffe...
by blekenbleu
Wed Jan 10, 2024 6:11 pm
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: Looking for camera for Swift SW380B
Replies: 28
Views: 8198

Re: Looking for camera for Swift SW380B

I've viewed Oliver's video on the Summit 3.1MP digital microscope camera. It looks fine. It's not on Amazon, unfortunately. 1) are you interested in video? USB 2 is not good enough for video. I was discussing cameras with an online pal who praises cameras with Sony IMX sensors. These seem to be qui...
by blekenbleu
Sat Dec 30, 2023 11:20 am
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: Dangerous-Just Thinking Again!
Replies: 14
Views: 4877

Re: Dangerous-Just Thinking Again!

I hacked two RGB light sources for incident illumination, mainly to mitigate chromatic aberrations https://blekenbleu.github.io/microscope/pinspot/EpiPin.jpg https://blekenbleu.github.io/microscope/pinspot/ https://blekenbleu.github.io/microscope/Images/LeitzLEDring.jpg https://blekenbleu.github.io/...
by blekenbleu
Tue Dec 12, 2023 12:41 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: optiphot-1: fine focus knob trouble
Replies: 9
Views: 4952

Re: optiphot-1: fine focus knob trouble

Thank you, but see my first message in this topic. That manual is either incorrect, or I am misinterpreting it. It says to unscrew the screw (doesn't warn for loosening it too far) and then the knobs would come off, as I read it. Apparently, sometimes they do, but frequently they don't (see this me...
by blekenbleu
Fri Nov 03, 2023 6:41 pm
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: Correct position of darkfield/oblique patch stop in relation to condenser?
Replies: 5
Views: 2113

Re: Correct position of darkfield/oblique patch stop in relation to condenser?

I recently purchased an Amscope T670. The condenser it came with has no swing-out filter holder. That sucks; its manual mentions filters... Meanwhile, T670's provided condenser reportedly has a fairly common 37mm circular clamp mount; this 37mm condenser has a swing-out filter holder: https://www.e...
by blekenbleu
Tue Oct 10, 2023 9:22 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: My Travel Microscopes
Replies: 18
Views: 4878

Re: My Travel Microscopes

Also, it seems that Rolf’s DIY projection eyepiece need to be custom matched to specific objectives by trial-and-error? That seems to be inconvenient for some users. And not many people are great at eyeballing optical distortions in such trial-and-error. Yes, using instead Nikon CF or CFN objective...
by blekenbleu
Mon Sep 04, 2023 2:23 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: issues w/ Nikon trinocular eyepiece tube " F " (trinocular head)
Replies: 5
Views: 17515

Re: issues w/ Nikon trinocular eyepiece tube " F " (trinocular head)

I applied pretty strong force without effect. I suspect you need to put the dovetail in some kind of vise to loosen that chimney, so the torque is applied to the dovetail and not the rotational stop. Am I right? Anybody actually done this? My hand strength may be greater than average, but was able ...
by blekenbleu
Fri Sep 01, 2023 11:26 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: issues w/ Nikon trinocular eyepiece tube " F " (trinocular head)
Replies: 5
Views: 17515

Re: issues w/ Nikon trinocular eyepiece tube " F " (trinocular head)

The "F" head is a good choice for photographers since it provides all the light to the camera when needed, with no additional glass in the way to gather dust or defects. It turns out that Trinocular "F" heads came with at least two different "chimneys": one disassembles to expose a 38mm DIN photo t...
by blekenbleu
Wed Aug 09, 2023 4:35 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Labophot trinocular and eyepeices
Replies: 14
Views: 2754

Re: Labophot trinocular and eyepeices

So I removed the tube and chimney, and it looks like I can't get a good image from the opening. Any ideas? UW.jpg Words do not sometimes suffice. If yours is as above, the lens at UW head bottom port has converted finite objective rays to nearly infinite, which want converting back to finite for fo...
by blekenbleu
Sat Aug 05, 2023 12:22 pm
Forum: Microscopy accessories
Topic: Best practices and construction for dust covers
Replies: 39
Views: 26312

Re: Best practices and construction for dust covers

microcosmos wrote:
Sun Oct 24, 2021 1:04 am
Just like many other things in the world, dust covers have progressed from solid metal to flimsy plastic.
translucent PVC microscope dust covers, 7 sizes US$2.95 ea
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255800489788261.html
by blekenbleu
Thu Aug 03, 2023 6:11 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Labophot trinocular and eyepeices
Replies: 14
Views: 2754

Re: Labophot trinocular and eyepeices

Ilikeplants wrote:
Wed Aug 02, 2023 11:49 pm
Also for eyepieces: would cheap Chinese ones be better than old Nikon 10x/23 with no CFUW or similar markings?
https://www.microbehunter.com/microscop ... hp?t=15977
by blekenbleu
Mon Jul 31, 2023 2:53 pm
Forum: Camera systems and imaging
Topic: Budget camera for a Nikon AFX-II on a Labophot?
Replies: 13
Views: 2358

Re: Budget camera for a Nikon AFX-II on a Labophot?

It looked like there was a lens there at first, but I looked closer and it does not seem as though there is a lens/photo eyepiece in the tube. There is one further down, but that is much closer to the base. That lens close to base in "T" and "UW" trinocular heads converts finite rays to near infini...
by blekenbleu
Sun Jul 23, 2023 9:11 pm
Forum: Morphology and Behavior
Topic: Life in a High Desert Rock Pool? Surprise!!
Replies: 19
Views: 6053

Re: Life in a High Desert Rock Pool? Surprise!!

Sure Squintsalot wrote:
Sat Jul 22, 2023 3:16 pm
Ok...it was decidedly NOT fun.
Thanks, that was very enjoyable.
by blekenbleu
Sat Jul 08, 2023 5:42 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: prism objective
Replies: 4
Views: 1201

Re: prism objective

Thanks, that works for me, having never seen an epi fluorescence microscope with intact lamp, much less in operation.
by blekenbleu
Fri Jul 07, 2023 10:34 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: prism objective
Replies: 4
Views: 1201

prism objective

Seen on an Optiphot epi fluorescent microscope:
prism.jpg
prism.jpg (63.22 KiB) Viewed 1201 times
What is its purpose?
by blekenbleu
Fri Jun 30, 2023 12:08 am
Forum: Camera systems and imaging
Topic: Is there a "best" adapter?
Replies: 4
Views: 1438

Re: Is there a "best" adapter?

Optiphot objectives do not depend on photo relay lens for corrections. Nikon Optiphot era photo relay lenses are not great. Nikon F-mount camera bodies have 46.5mm flange-to sensor distance. My Canon EOS-M camera has 18mm flange-to-sensor distance and has room to spare for Optiphot trinocular "F" di...
by blekenbleu
Thu Jun 22, 2023 10:56 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Connected a 110V microscope to 230V
Replies: 6
Views: 2552

Re: Connected a 110V microscope to 230V

apochronaut wrote:
Wed Jun 21, 2023 10:33 pm
The actual internal microscope power supply outputs 6v.?
Optiphot lamp is 50W 12V; Labophot is 20W 6V.
by blekenbleu
Mon Jun 05, 2023 1:59 pm
Forum: Camera systems and imaging
Topic: Best quality budget imaging for binocular Nikon Labophot-2
Replies: 21
Views: 5407

Re: Best quality budget imaging for binocular Nikon Labophot-2

My Labophot has Variant 2, the most commonly seen tube arrangement. How do I convert to the setup with the short tube? Am I correct that the only difference between the 2 heads is the tube? Unscrew the entire tube assembly from the trinocular F head. There is a 42mm male thread on the tube bottom. ...
by blekenbleu
Sun May 28, 2023 10:44 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: PZO MPI-3 polarizer not rotating
Replies: 1
Views: 1490

Re: PZO MPI-3 polarizer not rotating

WaterGoblin wrote:
Thu May 25, 2023 3:40 pm
unlike with regular polarizers nothing changes.
"The polarizer on these is usually delaminated but you can easily get other polarizers anyway"
https://www.microbehunter.com/microscop ... 36#p102536
by blekenbleu
Wed May 24, 2023 7:18 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Reichert Plan 1,25x
Replies: 39
Views: 13692

Re: Reichert Plan 1,25x

I assume none of the low mag objectives for transmitted light that lack the 'IK' marking will be of any use for DIC. My understanding for suitable DIC objectives low strain (e.g pol) back focal plane available for Nomarski prism matching condenser prism patience to sort prism alignment and matching...
by blekenbleu
Mon May 15, 2023 1:15 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Cheap WF10X/23 eyepieces for 30mm eye tubes
Replies: 13
Views: 4047

Re: Cheap WF10X/23 eyepieces for 30mm eye tubes

After cobbling together an afocal adapter, I'll append comparison images. I apologize for the delay; many distractions. This first comparison uses a Canon 90D APS-C body, which crops the field. I'll try again using a Canon 6D's 35mm sensor.. First surprise was discovering how problematic is focus u...
by blekenbleu
Thu May 11, 2023 11:47 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Inverted vs Stereoscope or Compound for Pond water organisms
Replies: 51
Views: 30143

Re: Inverted vs Stereoscope or Compound for Pond water organisms

techniques like rotterman contrast I yet to find a written description of Rotterman Contrast, for which Leica seemingly claims a trademark: rotterman.jpg .. from page 11/16 of http://biomarker.hu/sites/default/files/katalogus-fajlok/leica_tl_3000_4000_5000-bases_brochure_en.pdf ; Is it basically ob...
by blekenbleu
Mon May 08, 2023 4:35 pm
Forum: Digital processing
Topic: Photoshopping....too much?
Replies: 13
Views: 3647

Re: Photoshopping....too much?

I have never, personally, seen gray matting used to display images in, say, a gallery or museum. Maybe the effect becomes a problem in transmitted light viewing vs. reflected light viewing. Many art works will have been created with e.g. white surround and/or spot illumination anticipated. That's a...
by blekenbleu
Sun May 07, 2023 2:43 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: My Digital Microscope is not Loading
Replies: 3
Views: 1804

Re: My Digital Microscope is not Loading

Software and driver installation are not the same. If you still have the installation folder for that digital microscope, you could go into Windows' Device Manager, find that digital microscope, right-click and Uninstall device ...then Action->Scan for hardware changes ...then point to the installat...
by blekenbleu
Sun May 07, 2023 2:18 pm
Forum: Digital processing
Topic: Photoshopping....too much?
Replies: 13
Views: 3647

Re: Photoshopping....too much?

Does your expertise in microscopy change how you see such photos versus how a non-expert would? There is a very real effect sometimes called "simultaneous contrast", where discernment of light detail is confounded by a dark background and vice-versa. That is one reason why gray photo mat is popular...
by blekenbleu
Sat Apr 29, 2023 7:03 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: MEMS chip
Replies: 8
Views: 1584

Re: MEMS chip

Brute force splitting can work for these bonded chip pairs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X4frIQo7x0&t=100s

Heat gun and flexing reportedly works for some other chips:
https://hackaday.com/2020/03/11/chip-de ... -easy-way/
by blekenbleu
Thu Apr 27, 2023 12:38 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: My new Zeiss primostar 3
Replies: 26
Views: 5415

Re: My new Zeiss primostar 3

Similar dynamics occur in other industries; I was employed by a company that moved manufacturing from the U.S. to Korea, then China. Engineers were in the habit of walking from their offices and labs to better explain or correct their incomplete or wrong documentation on the manufacturing floor. A K...